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Long-term investments - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands, $ in Thousands |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |
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Aug. 12, 2021 USD ($) | Dec. 09, 2020 $ / instrument | May 31, 2020 shares | Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($) windProject | Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) $ / MWh | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) | Nov. 30, 2021 USD ($) | Jan. 07, 2021 USD ($) shares | May 31, 2019 USD ($) | May 31, 2019 CAD ($) | May 24, 2019 USD ($)
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investments |  |  |  |  |  | $ 433,850 | $ 186,452 |  |  |  |  |
Non-controlling interests |  |  |  |  |  | 1,523,082 | 458,612 |  |  |  |  |
Fair value loss |  |  |  |  |  | (122,419) | 559,701 |  |  |  |  |
Investments carried at fair value |  |  |  |  |  | 1,848,456 | 1,839,212 |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling interest in partnerships and joint ventures |  |  |  |  |  | 433,850 | 186,452 |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of support provided |  |  |  |  |  | 4,612 | 12,273 |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net assets |  |  |  |  |  | 86,202 | 174,685 |  |  |  |  |
Development loans receivable from equity-method investees |  |  |  |  |  | $ 31,468 | $ 21,804 |  |  |  |  |
Abengoa |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Option to purchase interest in joint venture |  |  |  | $ 1,500 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Atlantica |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest (percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 44.00% | 44.00% |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investments |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,167,444 |  |  | $ 132,688 |  |  |
Equity method investment, shares acquired (shares) | shares |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,020,860 |  |  |
Fair value loss |  |  |  |  |  | (107,030) | $ 519,297 |  |  |  |  |
Investments carried at fair value |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,750,914 | 1,706,900 |  |  |  |  |
Atlantica | Subscription Share Purchase Agreement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subscription purchase agreement, share price (in USD) | $ / instrument |  | 33.00 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Atlantica | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest (percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 48.50% |  |  |  |  |  |
Atlantica Yield Energy Solutions Canada Inc. (b) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-controlling interests |  |  |  |  |  | $ 41,782 | 59,125 |  |  | $ 96,752 |  |
Option to exchange shares | shares |  |  | 3,500,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value loss |  |  |  |  |  | 15,915 | (20,272) |  |  |  |  |
Investments carried at fair value |  |  |  |  |  | $ 95,246 | $ 110,514 |  |  |  |  |
Atlantica Yield Energy Solutions Canada Inc. (b) | AIP |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-controlling interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 96,752 | $ 130,103 | $ 96,752
Red Lily I |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest (percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 75.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Wind facility capacity (megawatt AC) | $ / MWh |  |  |  |  |  | 26.4 |  |  |  |  |  |
Val Eo |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity economic interest |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Wind facility capacity (megawatt AC) | $ / MWh |  |  |  |  |  | 24 |  |  |  |  |  |
Wind And Solar Power Electric Development |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest (percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
North Fork Ridge Wind Facility |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investment acquired (percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
New Market Solar |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest (percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Net assets contributed into joint venture entities |  |  |  |  |  | $ 220,677 |  |  |  |  |  |
Contract asset |  |  |  |  |  | 17,018 |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investment, gain on transfer |  |  |  |  |  | 26,182 |  |  |  |  |  |
Loans related to parties |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,779 |  |  |  |  |  |
Texas Wind Farms |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest (percent) |  |  |  |  | 51.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investments | $ 110,609 |  |  |  | $ 234,274 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investment acquired (percent) | 51.00% |  |  |  | 51.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of wind development projects acquired | windProject |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of wind development projects | windProject |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
San Antonio Water System, Joint Venture |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity interest (percent) |  |  |  |  |  | 20.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Liberty Development JV Inc |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 19,688 |  |  |  |
Non-controlling interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 39,376 |  |  |  |
AAGES Spain |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquired assets |  |  |  | 2,662 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Working capital |  |  |  | 1,507 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
AAGES Spain | Abengoa |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loans related to parties |  |  |  | $ 3,089 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
AY Holdco |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 39,376 |  |  |  |

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